The Penn's Grove record., 1887-02-05
PENINSULA SUPERSTITION.
Prevalent IN Lower Delaware audIin
Parts of Maryland.

EaFtS Oh mdFyihslos
A Washington d. c., dispatch says:
"a belief in the supernatural and In the
forecasting Of events by and signiiica-
ton of signs and omens is not, and is
generally supposed, restricted entirely to
the negro race Of the Maryland and
Delaware peninsula. Superstition is
prevalent to a considerable degree
among the whites, and it is a curious
fact that in many families where wealth
and intelligence predominant and impli-
cit belief is placed in signs and tokens
and what they portend. They are sim
cere in this belief, and will cite MINER
Gus instances where a mysterious knock
upon the door, the startling rafting of
a window-sash when the air was calm
and serene, or the dismal bowling of a
dog have been followed by bad luck,
to give apparent strength to it.
Among the white laboring classes
superstition holds their minds with a
wonderful power. Any strange phe-
nomena in the heavens, any abnormal
condition of the weather or any unusual
commotion on land or on sea, each have
their own special significance, and while
they all exercise an undue influence
upon the minds of these people, each
one formulates his or her own opinion
and draw his OF her own personal con-
illusions as to the probable sequence OF
these signs. A lady, venerable j n years,
prominent in society, living in a~fluence
and residing in a Maryland town, once
dismissed a Most dear and intimate ac-
quaintance with a eveTe reprlmand for
trenching on he. ideas with regard to
this belief. The subject Of superstition
was under discussion and a large circle
of friends were present. This lady
friend was |ridiculing such belief as pre-
p%osterous and ignorant, and it was COM
mented upon adversely by several other
members of the company. But the
hostess was in~vulnerable to their attacks
and humorous puns, and good-natured-
ly rebutted them by several incidents
which occurred which were in fresh
recollection by all present and incident.
ally mentioned her horror of a person
looking over her shoulder while she was
standing before a looking-glass. The
evening wore on, and when the compa-
ny was about to disperse the hostess
arose to arrange her hair before a small
toilet looking-glass. Her friend came
up behind her suddenly and peered over
her shoulder. A remarkable tableau
ensued. With blanched features, the
hostess threw up her hands, and, with
a wild shrek, fell swooning TO the floor.
The proper restoratives were reSorted
to, and when she recovered conscious
ness she arose to her feet, nervous and
timorous. Pointing her finger at her
heretofore bosom friend, she said, in a
firm, determined voice:
I'VE are friends nc more. Cop
ExpostulAion was utterly useless;
she would listen to no explanation, and
with a wounded heart and her face
bathed in tears, the lady took her de-
parture. This occurred twenty years
ago. They have never exchanged words
since. BY a strange coincidence of cir
cumstances a month or SO afterward
intelligence of the death of the only
brother of the hostess, who was in In
dia, was received.
On the fir t day of the new year the
NEGRO is debarred the privilege Of enter
ling a white PERSONS house, as their
Ipresence is regarded as an omen of bad
luck throughout the entire year. Woe
be to any person with a black skin who
crosses the threshold of n white mans
house on the first day of the new year.
y negro nan came near paying the
penalty of his forgetfulness in this re-
spect with his life. He started in the
gate of a house and was advancing to-
ward the door, when he was confronted
by the resolute and angry occupant,
who stood ready to receive him with a
wood-ax. The frightened negro sud
| denly collected his senses, and remem-
bering the day, turned to flee. As he
did so the ak was hurled after him and
i went whizzlng vel his head, the heave
knocking off his hat.
There is to-day living in Lower Della
ware an old gentleman, once conspicu
GUS in public life, Who constantly keeps
his gun charged with the old-fashioned
three-cent pieces, who has an * licit
belief in their virtue to destroy the
power of negro conjurers when fired at
them. There are several more who
keep their revolvers loaded with the
same metal for the same purpose. Why
the annihilating qualities of silver are
more superior to lead or gold, they are
unable to explain. Yet they are pro-
foundry sincere in their belief that a
volley of the jingling metal fired at, not
into, the body of a conjurer, will dis
solve his mysterious power, and prevent
him from committing harm.
Superstition in the negro is p%roYeTbial.
We can easily understand that the root
from which springs his absurd IDEAS is
ignorance. But why it should hold
men and women of brilliant minds and
of high social distinction in its grasp is
a psychological question We cannot
answer
In some parts of Maryland the people
will not have the house leek, a small
green plant bearing a pink flower, upon
their premises. This plant blooms, ac-
cording to their theory, but once in
seven years, and should II of them be
in or near the house at the time of
blooming, when the tiny bud begins to
develop some one will be taken sick,
and as it continues TO expand they will
grow worse, and when it has blolmed
into the perfect flower they will die.
Another superstition characteristic of
this ostracised plant is that so long as
any one carries a leaf about with them
adversely win be at their heels.
There are countless numbers Of signs
and omens of ill-luek, sickness, death,
disappointment, ETC., that makes a GU
rious and Interesting category. The
bowling of a dog is a ure sign of death,
and when throwing your shoes on the
floor, should they turn upside down the
grim specter will claim some member OF
the family ere the year has passed. The
dropping of the dish-rag foretells the
coming of a stranger; 10 meet a funeral
on the street is an i'll omen, and many
will go squares out of their way TO avoid
I meeting an approaching cortege; to &c
out of be house and, forgetting some
simple article, have to return for it pre-
sages disappointment, and you must sit
down and cross your legs if you would
dissolve the spell and be successful in
your errand. These and many other
equally absurd notions are prevalent
among the people of the lower peninsula,